Method for associating data bearing objects with user interface objects

• US 8,051,429 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Williamson, Richard, Upson, Linus, Greenfield, Jack, Willhite, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Li B
• Application Number:
  US10/952,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,590 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 719/315, 715/700, 715/764
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

The present invention comprises a method for allowing a data controlling object to interface with any number of user interface objects without requiring separate interface code for each user interface object and without restricting the user interface to certain predetermined designs. The present method provides objects called association objects that are interposed between a data controlling object and each user interface object. Each kind of user interface object has a corresponding association object. The association object for a particular kind of user interface object contains code that allows the association object to interact with the specific kind of user interface object with which it is associated. Each association object also presents a standard interface to a data controlling object, regardless of the kind of user interface object with which the association object is associated. The association object takes care of any conversion or translation that must be performed to convert a data value sent by the data controlling object into an appropriate value that can be displayed by the user interface object. Accordingly, instead of requiring different interface code for each kind of user interface object used, a data controlling object requires only a single block of interface code for communicating with all association objects, which in turn provide the user interface specific code needed for each kind of user interface object.

Claims

1. A method for associating a data bearing object with a user interface object, comprising:

defining a controlling object between a data bearing object and a user interface object; and

defining, using a processor, an association object interposed between the controlling object and the user interface object;

wherein the data bearing object corresponds to an entry in a database;

wherein the association object links the controlling object to the user interface object, communicates with the controlling object using a standard message format, and communicates with the user interface object using a message format specific to the user interface object; and

wherein the controlling object transports via the association object a data value from the data bearing object to the user interface object, which data value is displayed by the user interface object.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling object communicates indirectly with the user interface object via the association object that is interposed between the controlling object and the user interface object.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the standard message format used for communication by the controlling object is incompatible with the message format used by the user interface object.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the association object is configured to receive a message and/or value from the controlling object in the standard message format, translate the message and/or value to the format specific to the user interface object, and communicate the translated message and/or value to the user interface object.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the association object is configured to receive a message and/or value from the user interface object in the format specific to the user interface object, translate the message and/or value to the standard message format used by the controlling object, and communicate the translated message and/or value to the controlling object.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling object is defined between a set of one or more data bearing objects including said data bearing object and a set of one or more user interface objects including said user interface object and further comprising defining a set of one or more association objects including said association object interposed between the controlling object and the set of one or more user interface objects.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein defining a set of one or more association objects comprises defining an association object for each user interface object in the set of one or more user interface objects.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein defining a set of one or more association objects comprises defining an association object for each kind of user interface object in the set of one or more user interface objects.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the controlling object includes a single block of interface code with which it can communicate with any association object using the standard message format.

10. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein each association object includes interface code for communicating with a particular user interface object and/or a particular kind of user interface object with which it is associated.

11. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the controlling object manages the set of one or more data bearing objects.

12. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein a change in a data bearing object is communicated by the controlling object to each of at least a subset of the set of one or more association objects so that the change can be reflected in each user interface object affected by the change.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the type of the association object associated with the user interface object is based on the type of the user interface object.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlling object and the association object comprise an interface between the data bearing object and the user interface object.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein data is stored in the data bearing object in one or more key-value pairs.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the association object is configured to communicate directly with the data bearing object.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the association object links the user interface object to a key associated with the data bearing object and a value associated with the key is displayed by the user interface object.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein defining the association object includes providing the key to the association object and wherein the association object obtains the value associated with the key using a key-value coding protocol.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a change in the data bearing object is propagated to the user interface object via the controlling object and the association object.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a change in the user interface object is propagated to the data bearing object via the association object and the controlling object.

21. A system for associating a data bearing object with a user interface object, comprising:

a processor configured to;

define a controlling object between a data bearing object and a user interface object; and

define an association object interposed between the controlling object and the user interface object;

wherein the data bearing object corresponds to an entry in a database;

wherein the association object links the controlling object to the user interface object, communicates with the controlling object using a standard message format, and communicates with the user interface object using a message format specific to the user interface object; and

wherein the controlling object transports via the association object a data value from the data bearing object to the user interface object, which data value is displayed by the user interface object; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein the controlling object is defined between a set of one or more data bearing objects including said data bearing object and a set of one or more user interface objects including said user interface object and further comprising defining a set of one or more association objects including said association object interposed between the controlling object and the set of one or more user interface objects.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for associating a data bearing object with a user interface object, the computer program product comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to;

define a controlling object between a data bearing object and a user interface object; and

define an association object interposed between the controlling object and the user interface object;

wherein the data bearing object corresponds to an entry in a database;

wherein the association object links the controlling object to the user interface object, communicates with the controlling object using a standard message format, and communicates with the user interface object using a message format specific to the user interface object; and

wherein the controlling object transports via the association object a data value from the data bearing object to the user interface object, which data value is displayed by the user interface object.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the controlling object is defined between a set of one or more data bearing objects including said data bearing object and a set of one or more user interface objects including said user interface object and further comprising defining a set of one or more association objects including said association object interposed between the controlling object and the set of one or more user interface objects.